PADRES: Doing the little things continues to pay off

Aggressive baserunning is difference in win over the Rockies

Headley said aggressive baserunning has been stressed since
spring training. That's not a surprise considering that two of the
Padres' key components ---- Black and Eckstein ---- spent
significant portions of their careers in Anaheim with the
ultra-aggressive Angels.

Black said he and first-base coach Rick Renteria have been
trying to instill aggression since spring, but the manager admits
that the additions of Venable and Gwynn and the return of Everth
Cabrera have played a large part.

"You have to take advantage of the extra base when it's there
and it puts pressure on the defense," Black said. "Rick has done a
tremendous job. I can't speak highly enough of the daily
information that the players get, and the daily prodding that us as
a coaching staff try to give to the players to how important it is
to run the bases."